Guardiola and Klopp under fire as City found guilty of 114 breaches

On Friday the 25th, an independent commission announced that Manchester City had been found guilty of 114 of the 115 financial accusations lodged by the Premier League. City said the process remains ongoing, that it will appeal the verdict, and the development brings the earlier comments of Pep Guardiola, Jürgen Klopp and José Mourinho back into the spotlight.

Independent commission finds City guilty

The panel, described as independent, concluded that the club breached financial regulations in 114 cases out of the 115 allegations presented by the Premier League. The accusations span alleged irregularities in financial information, player and coach payments, sustainability rules and cooperation with the investigation. No sanctions have been announced yet.

Manchester City has not confirmed the commission’s finding, stating that the investigation is still underway. The club confirmed its intention to appeal the decision. The eventual penalties remain undefined.

The verdict shines a light on statements made in recent years by figures at the heart of the City‑Liverpool rivalry. Guardiola, Klopp and Mourinho each offered remarks before the current stage of the process, remarks that now acquire added significance.

Manchester City faces near‑total guilt in Premier League financial probe

Guardiola’s conditional loyalty

“When they are accused of something, I ask them to tell me about it. They explain and I believe them. I said, ‘If you lie to me, the next day I’m not here. I’ll leave and won’t be your friend any more’,” Guardiola said in May 2022. He added that his confidence in the executives was a condition for continuing to represent Manchester City, stating “I put my faith in you because I believe 100 percent from day one.” The two‑year European suspension that followed the earlier investigation was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

In November 2023, when asked whether a guilty verdict would affect his future, Guardiola replied that he would not let his stay depend on the club’s league status, saying “I will not consider my future if it depends on being in the Premier League or in League One.” He left the club in May this year, invoking a clause that ended his contract a year early, a deal that had originally run to 2027. His final match in charge was against Aston Villa, after which he was honoured with a supporters’ parade.

Klopp and Mourinho weigh in

“We invest money in this squad. Now it seems we are not doing that. But we are not in a fantasy land where you simply get what you want. You cannot do that constantly. It seems there are four clubs in the world that can do it constantly: Real Madrid, Barcelona …,” Klopp said, framing the issue as a sporting and financial rivalry with Liverpool and the broader Premier League imbalance.

Manchester City brace for Premier League sanction after 114 breaches

José Mourinho’s remarks were more succinct, focusing on the need to respect the rules and on the titles at stake. He has repeatedly provoked City in the context of championship ambitions, underscoring that any breach undermines the integrity of the competition. Together, the renewed legal jeopardy and the past vows of loyalty and rivalry illustrate how the club’s financial saga continues to shape the narratives of its chief rivals.